Small scale prepping....

     Preppers.   There is a lot of talk these days about preppers.
Those pesky doomsday people expecting a zombie apocalypse
or nuclear war.  One might say I am a entry level prepper.  I
don't believe we are going to have to worry about zombies and
in the event of a nuclear war I am personally going to walk towards
the cloud.  At my age I'm not up to fighting through the effects of
radiation and destruction and starting a new world.  That being said
I am intrigued by the idea of being able to survive some sort of natural
disaster for a given time until I am able to return to a somewhat
normal lifestyle.  That and the fact that I love practicing the old ways
of life makes it natural for me to want to 'be prepared' for hardships.
    You won't find buckets of food or drums of water or battery banks
and solar panels buried in  caves in my yard.  You will find small
amounts of dried food and other type survival items secured neatly
in my basement, truck and camper on a much smaller scale.  Not so
much for long term survival but for convenience if the time presents
itself with perhaps a weather related emergency or such.  I just enjoy
compiling  such things and even using them on occasion just to know
that I can make do with what I have stocked.  Plus using these things
occasionally helps one to find weaknesses in the system and correct
them before the need arises.
     In addition to my Bug out bag (discussed in an earlier blog) I have
compiled in food grade buckets such things as. vacuum packed single
meals made with dehydrated veggies, spices pasta or rice and such.  I
assure you nothing to rival a gourmet meal but filling none the less.
Other items such as dried beans etc. along with sardines and canned
meat are added occasionally.  One can gain a lot of knowledge by
looking to the past as far as making this stuff.  Such things as Pemmican.
Although not the most tasty thing in the world can be a lifesaver in a
desperate situation.  And Hardtack (ships biscuits) have been around for
hundreds of years .  Easy to make.. very long shelf life plus they can be
used for roof tiles or hockey pucks should the need arises.
      While doing a little research on the subject I have come to a couple
of bonus conclusions.  For one..people these days eat for all of the wrong
reasons.  While reviewing recipes from long ago I found most meals to
be simple nourishing  meals meant to fill one up and provide needed
calories to keep us healthy and energetic.  Now days we focus more on
taste and appearance in our meals.  Most would turn their noses up to
meals that were staples back in the day.  I think that in an emergency
situation a lot of people would have a hard time going back to that type
of meals.  Not me .. I always was a quantity over quality type of guy..
and my clothing size reflects that..lol    Another thing I wonder about
is how many people in today's world have retained the ability to prepare
a meal safely in an emergency situation.  Most panic when the grill runs
out of LP in the middle of a weenie roast.  Knowing which woods are safe
to cook over and different ways to prepare a fire for cooking may seem like
a fun scout thing now .. but when your next meal depends on it things could
be a little more serious.  Remember  Mickey D's may not be open on the day
hunger strikes and having a stash of food doesn't guarantee a good meal.
     Now I'm not trying to instill prepper fear into anyone.  With the modern
emergency systems most places have in place today I doubt these extreme
situations will ever materialize but I figure .. why not have a little fun and
prepare for them just the same.  At the very least it may save me a trip into
town to stand in line at one of the food distribution lines for a daily handout.
Plus.. I know what I put in my biscuits..  FEMA's .. not so much !